Removing the screws from your door could help stop a burglar from breaking in

It's been years since Texas realtor Mariana Harrison moved into her first home, and one security tip from her father has remained with her ever since.

In a post that quickly went viral, Harrison shared her some advice for homeowners, home buyers, and pretty much anyone who owns a front door -- an easy trick her father showed her that could slow a potential burglar.

And while it might seem counterintuitive, she advises that people should REMOVE their door screws to prevent crime.

Here's why:

Speculative homes for sale are sometimes built with the least expensive materials that are available -- door-lock screws included.

The screws in most front doors are often only about half of an inch long, short enough that a potential robber could easily break them with one swift and hard kick to the frame.

That's why Harrison's dad took out the short screws in her front door when she first moved into her apartment, replacing them with 4-inch screws.

"They can kick for a long time before they get tired," Harrison wrote. "Making a burglar make a bunch of noise and be foiled in their initial plan can not only give you time to arm yourself but they will most likely move on to an easier target."

It's a simple job that requires a screwdriver and a few minutes of time to check. And the lucky homeowners and renters who remove the screws and find out they already had the long kind can screw them back in and rest assured would-be burglars will have a harder time breaking in.

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